Best Peloton Alternatives for 2025​on January 4, 2025 at 1:00 pm

A lot of indoor bike manufacturers try to compete with Peloton on price without sacrificing a ton in quality, but Echelon does it better than most. If you’re new to cycling without knowing whether this is something you want to massively invest in, a budget option that’s fun to use makes a big difference. The frame on the Echelon EX-3 is sturdy, offers a rear flywheel with magnetic resistance, and it’s got a great tablet and phone mount you can position however you want. It’s also got rear-mounted water bottle holders, which isn’t common with indoor bikes but nice if you want to feel like you’re simulating an outdoor ride on a performance bike. 

Echelon’s bikes are not a 100% copy of the Peloton experience. If you’ve used a Peloton before, you’ll notice this bike is a little louder and the magnetic resistance is a little sudden and intense by comparison. What you do get is a Bluetooth connection so you can use just about any app to tell you how well your workout went, and at a price that even if you add in the optional subscription from Echelon is dramatically less than what you’ll find anywhere else. 

Editor’s note: The Echelon Connect EX-5s, the newest model in the Smart Connect series, is currently in the testing stage.

Maybe you don’t want to stare at a screen while some spectacularly fit 22-year-old instructor yells at you to pick up the pace. Many bikes with screens offer a small amount of other distractions — like recordings of a bike on a trail somewhere exotic or a selection of streaming apps to watch a movie — but there’s something to be said for the flexibility of bringing your own screen. If you’re looking for a bike that’s well made and supports multiple body types without forcing you into a single experience for working out, the BowFlex C6 is what you want. 

The device mount on the handlebars of the BowFlex C6 makes it easy to bring your own screen and mount it however you see fit, but the Bluetooth data sharing also makes it possible to set your bike in front of a TV and enjoy an even larger set of distractions. Most cycling apps will pair with the BowFlex C6 easily, but it’s worth pointing out that some performance-based apps like Zwift don’t always get the most accurate information from this bike. 

Editor’s note: The BowFlex IC Bike SE is a bigger version of the C6 and is currently in testing.

Editor’s note: In 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled units of this bike due to an injury hazard involving the pedals. Details here.

Myx bikes have always been aimed at hardcore fitness fans, but when Myx merged with the folks at BeachBody, an already great experience expanded to way more people with the Myx II Plus. This is a great bike for a variety of body types, and it allows you to adjust your screen in just about every direction. Unlike many of its competitors, Myx II Plus makes it easy to share the bike with up to five other people without needing multiple subscriptions.

Where most exercise bikes offer the ability to do a variety of workouts while on the bike, Myx II Plus offers a ton of things to do off the bike as well. The included software offers everything from yoga to kettlebell classes with everything in between in addition to an array of spin class-style workouts and even live classes you can join throughout the week. It’s one of the few exercise bikes in this price range that can truly deliver a full-body workout. 

The bike seems to have been renamed to BODi Bike now in a rebranding effort.

Peloton’s cycle is, without question, the Bentley of home exercise bikes — a sturdy and beautiful machine that feels every inch like a premium product. It has a price tag to match the Peloton experience: $2,495, plus $44 a month for on-demand and live classes. If you’ve got the money, the Peloton Bike Plus really is a great bike.

Although I didn’t love having to buy (and use) special clip-in cycle shoes, I did enjoy the overall Peloton experience. The high-energy cycling classes are fun and engaging, with a huge variety of instructors, music genres and difficulty levels — something for everyone. Read our full Peloton Bike Plus review here.

One thing almost every bike with a screen on it has in common is the manufacturer makes the rules. You have a nice, large screen in front of you but can only access what they want you to see and experience if you pay for the access. Some offer additional apps you can install, but the list is extremely limited and typically only includes streaming TV shows or movies. Stryde makes it clear on its site the tablet on the front of its bike is a fully unlocked device running Android, so the only limit is your desire to tinker with your bike. 

When you’re not trying to install Zwift or TrainerRoad on your tablet, the bike itself looks really nice and offers a comparable level of magnetic resistance to simulate any kind of cycling. You don’t have to pay for the subscription service if you don’t think the included classes are particularly valuable, but if you’re looking for a Peloton-like training regiment you’ll find a lot to like there.